Bakery member faces new charges

Oakland: Man accused of kidnapping, torturing two women now must
answer to counts of real estate fraud

San Jose Mercury News/August 31, 2007

By Paul T. Rosynsky

Oakland -- New criminal charges were filed Thursday against one of
three Your Black Muslim Bakery members accused of kidnapping and
torturing two women in May 2006.

The new charges, which were filed shortly before the bakery members
appeared in court, accuse Tamon Halfin of 20 criminal charges related
to the illegal purchase of two houses in Oakland.

Halfin is also accused of about a dozen felony counts related to the
kidnapping and torture of the women in May.

Court documents show that Halfin used a fake name to secure four loans
that were used to purchase homes at 7601 Lockwood St. and 9217
Sunnyside St. in Oakland.

Using the name Jason Peterson, Halfin secured more than $1 million
from BNC Mortgage and Long Beach Mortgage from October to December
2005, the documents state.

In both cases, Halfin used a fake driver's license, and in one
instance he forged a Bank of America bank statement and stole the
identity and signature of another person to secure the loan.

Halfin did not enter a plea to the real estate fraud or the kidnapping
and torture allegations. Instead, his court-appointed attorney,
Michael Berger, asked for more time to review the case before his
client enters a plea.

The real estate scheme Halfin is accused of is similar to one bakery
leader Yusuf Bey IV has been charged with for the purchase of a house
at 2514 61st Ave. in Oakland.

In that case, Bey IV is accused of stealing an identity, using a fake
driver's license and securing loans for the purchase of the house.
Bey IV pleaded not guilty to those charges and not guilty to charges
levied against him for the kidnapping and torture of two women in May.

Bey IV, Halfin and Bey IV's half-brother, Joshua Bey, 21, are accused
of using a fake police cruiser to capture the two women, who they
thought had money.

They then drove the women to a house in East Oakland and tortured one
until a police officer on routine patrol saw the fake car and
investigated.

Bey IV also has become a key figure in the confession of Devaughndre
Broussard, a bakery handyman accused of killing Oakland Post Editor
Chauncey Bailey.

Broussard's attorney, LaRue Grim, said Bey IV told his client to take
the fall for the slaying to save the bakery.

Oakland police placed Bey IV in the same interview room with Broussard
before Broussard told police he killed Bailey because of a story the
journalist was working on about the bakery's financial problems and a
family feud within the Bey family.

Bey IV's attorney, Ted Washington, said Thursday that his client had
nothing to do with the killing. But Washington said Bey told Broussard
to "tell the truth." Washington also questioned police interview
tactics, saying they "just don't smell right."

All three members are due back in court Sept. 18. Broussard is due
back in court Sept. 20.

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